A Witch's Heart
by Tori Bachue
Summary: Basic pairing, Ulfric x Dragonborn, though hopefully not completely a sob/love story; following the general plot of Skyrim, mostly. Further notes at the bottom; enjoy!
1. Prologue

When Selene first saw the light of day in Skyrim, she remembered nothing, not even her own name. It was like she didn't even exist before, instead came to be right there on the carriage, with all she had ever known being the sounds of the horses, the voices of those around her, the white sunlight filtering through the trees in the deep forest they were currently in. Even then, it was a beautiful first sight to set her eyes on. She felt comfortable, despite her obvious imprisonment, thanks to the soothing sounds around her, the winds weaving through the trees and the soft, yet sharp cries of a stray hart. Then being told where she was by a blond man who accompanied her on the carriage, along with a few others, she was shocked, to say the least. Shocked, indeed, but not afraid, somehow. A strange calm was working its way through her, and she knew, just knew, everything would end up being alright. She was annoyed by the thief fidgeting to the right of her.

So it came to no surprise for her when he tried to run. Disdain overtook her; thieves truly where cowards at heart, when having to face the consequences for their actions. But then there were those other two, the blond man and... what was he called again? Ulfric, she thought. They both held their posture with honor, even when facing death. Even being there with them made her proud. Whatever it was she had done, whatever the reason she ended up in Helgen, she wouldn't break under the pressure of a certain loss of her head, in the literal sense; she'd stand upright, with them, with dignity. It was all she had left, when she knelt down before the executioner, the last spark in her, before she heard it. They all heard it, and that small spark suddenly overtook her when the sound grew and she was faced with the prowess of an actual dragon. Then, there was chaos. She got out alive, along with the soldier, but she wasn't certain about the others. The soldier had blamed the attack on 'those damned Stormcloaks', who were apparently the followers of the man she had admired so much. She felt stupid, being so wrong in judgment, and after hearing he had shouted the High King to death, even more so, especially because she shouldn't be impressed by such a low murderer. Like all Bosmer, she held a high respect for life; surely, no murder could be justified.

But then the next few months happened, and she couldn't help but alter her vision on such things. Her country was at war with the place she now called home, even her people fought among each other with the raging of a civil dispute. There were so many beasts out there, and people too, that wanted her head on a plate, despite the divine-like status that accompanied her birthright of being part Dovah, the Dragonborn. People expected so much from her, idolized her, and she didn't dare disappoint them.

The next time she saw Ulfric, a man she again respected after learning what truly went on around her, was when the Greybeards helped her organizing a peace council. He was reluctant at first, to agree to her cause, but she managed to persuade him for the good of the people. The same went with General Tullius. At the council itself, she tried to reach an equilibrium, and kept her choices as impartial as possible. The Civil War would be dealt with later, now Alduin was the main cause they all should be fighting for. So she made the call to allow Elenwen to stay, and when she had to decide which holds were given to either sides, she refused to make too big decisions under these circumstances and tried to give them both a fair share; no one could force her to do differently. Still, Ulfric's words stung when he angrily tried to leave; couldn't he see what she was trying to do? She wasn't trying to defend those Imperials, at least not on purpose! She simply dealt with dragons, not with matters of war.

But he spoke truths, she realized afterwards. And he was right when it came to the war. So that's how she ended up standing in the halls of the Palace of the Kings in Windhelm, her pale but fair face with a determined expression, that was even enhanced by the dark war paint around her eyes and down her cheeks and her black hair combed backwards. Together with her armor and iron helmet, she must have made quite a sight… But she was ready, ready to join Ulfric's Stormcloaks, and all of the Empire would know it.

Tbc.

A./N. I hope you liked it, and please leave some reviews; if the response is there, I will continue, if not, there's no point, I guess. I'm sorry I've been rushing too much; this is meant to be a prologue, a mere setting of the scene, the next few chapters that will change. If you find any faults, whether it's in the plot or just in my grammar, do not hesitate to say so, so I can change it. My memory of the game has somewhat faded though I tried being accurate and looked things up if I had doubts, so I wouldn't be surprised if there were some mistakes. Most of this finds its origin in my own game play. That is all.


	2. Galmar's Wraith

'Ulfric!' she called out, her voice echoing through the great hall. The chatter at the table stopped, as well as Ulfric's conversation with someone she recognized as his companion from the council. Everything went death quiet for a while, but then the Jarl's friend spoke up: 'You! How dare you enter the Palace of the Kings after all you've done, you traitor! Though I expected nothing less from a Woodelf' He spat those last words. 'I should've realized sooner you'd side with the Thalmor and the Imperials, I -' He was stopped by a single gesture Ulfric made, but that didn't stop him from glaring at her while the latter spoke. 'What brings you to Windhelm, Dragonborn?'

His face was blank, his tone neutral, and both made it impossible for Selene to guess how he felt about her presence there. She decided to take her chances and jump right to the reason she'd come. 'My Jarl', she said, kneeling before him, holding her left hand above her heart and her head slightly bowed. 'I came here to fix my mistakes. I barely knew of the war before, therefore didn't know whose ideals would complement my own. But my knowledge of these affaires has increased, and with that my choice has been made. I want to offer my loyalty to you, as are my actions yours to command. I would assume you could use someone like me, too. I hereby ask you to accept me as one of your own Stormcloaks' - 'Ha!' Ulfric's companion let out, mockingly. 'You expect us to believe you just like that?' – 'I will do whatever it takes to prove my sincerity, my lord.'

Ulfric looked at her thoughtfully. Sure, he wanted to believe that the legendary Dovahkiin would take his side, since it meant an almost certain victory; many would follow her to strengthen his legions, trusting the judgment of their hero, and she herself could barely be considered a minor force. But would it be right to trust in her, without any further ado? … What would his father do? Then an idea came to his mind. He trusted his idea to Galmar, his second-in-command and the one who spoke before, in a whisper, and saw a wolfish grin appear on his face. He sighed at that. 'Dragonborn!' Galmar called. 'The Jarl has spoken; we shall test you. Travel to the Serpent's stone north of Winterhold; there you will find a creature known as an Ice Wraith. You will slay this creature and bring its teeth back to us as proof of your worth. Then, we shall discuss your possible joining further. If you do return, of course.' Galmar again showed his teeth in a daring smirk at that last sentence. Selene held back her disbelief; she'd faced the Ice Wraiths before, and to her, they were but minor threats. Did they honestly hold such a low opinion of her, even after slaying multiple dragons? If Galmar truly expected her to die on this quest, or worse, cowardly run from the creature, he'd face a painful surprise.

But so it happened. Selene traveled to the northern lands of Skyrim and completed the given task with ease, as she had expected. A few swings with her Dwarven Warhammer, together with the combined flames of Destruction from her hands, were enough to put the Wraith down before a minute had passed. Within a fortnight, she entered the halls of Windhelm again, throwing the teeth at the feet of a rather disappointed Galmar. After a short audience with him and the Jarl, she took the oath, not straying her own eyes from those of Ulfric for longer than a single heartbeat, headstrong in her decision. They had deemed her worthy, and she now proudly wore the title of 'Stormcloak'.

A./N.: I realize this is a rather short piece, I apologize for that. The next chapters will be longer, and hopefully with more dept in them! I would also like to thank whoever left the review, that motivated me enough to update again; Talos be with you! ;)


	3. Cold and Might

They watched Selene's retreating back as she made her way out of the Palace. Ulfric, lost in thought, thoughts of war no doubt, made ready to retreat to his chambers, but Galmar stopped him. 'Ulfric', he said, and then continued after looking around to make sure no one overheard his speech. 'You've not been yourself lately, not since the Dragonborn has set foot in these halls. You seem to be wandering around, thinking, more often than not, and you've given in so soon to her. And you must admit your test was one for children, not warriors.' – 'You question me, Galmar? Where are you going with this?' – 'I'm just citing what everybody finds, my lord, even if they dare not say it. You know I wouldn't dare question you, not in my right mind at least. We are worried for you, that is all.' Ulfric frowned at this. 'I assure you, nothing is wrong; if there was, I would let you know. But I am tired, so I will retire for now. I'll meet you again at dawn, my friend.' Ulfric finished with a small smile, before he finally ascended the chairs to his room.

Of course there was nothing wrong with him; the future was bright, thanks to the newest addition to his army. Even if he still somewhat doubted Selene's motives, he was sure the time he could remove General Tulius from his position - and this life - was approaching fast. But yes, facing the Dragonborn had brought something else to his mind, something he hadn't reflected on before.

There was but one throne in his Palace, and even with Galmar and Jorleif as close companions, there was a coldness in the halls he had begun to feel. He was lonely, missing the company of a woman; he hadn't had such since the days of youth had passed him, back when he was still allowed to make mistakes and fool around, back when his father was still there to guide him. Realizing this, and the melancholy that partly took over him because of it, were indeed the reasons for his… absent mind. But no king should admit to weaknesses and these traps of the past, not when leading so many who would give up their lives without thinking twice for the sole purpose of a free Skyrim. So he dared not contemplate on it further, for now, at least. A king, yes… An idea came to his mind. Maybe it was time for a new mission. He'd tell Galmar about it in the morning, he thought, before allowing sleep to set in.

* * *

Meanwhile, Selene traveled through Skyrim, looking for missions that would strengthen her for her battle with Alduin. She fought bandits, as well as Imperials when they dared taking her fellow Stormcloaks into custody. She joined the College of Winterhold to train her Magic, and had a big part in the demise of a corrupt Ancano, after the latter killed the Arch-Mage in his quest for limitless power.

It was sad to see how one could be driven to insanity by the promise of such might, even if the main goal should have been knowledge instead. She now saw the meaning of Parthuurnax's talk, what he had meant when he said he loved to converse with others, but chose to live isolated anyway. It was certainly a valuable lesson, she thought, which is why she surrendered her new title of Arch-Mage to Mirabella Ervine. She did her best to improve the college's status as well, while she went around; it may have its errors, but well, try finding an institution that's completely pure. And now she was there, and she would make sure those errors would be erased for everyone to see.

She trained with the masters she met on her wandering, and held on when facing the dangers that came along the quest for the Elder Scroll. Selene became stronger, faster, wiser, and when she found herself ready to read the Scroll without endangering her own sanity, she finally learned the Words of Power for the Dragonrend shout. She could immediately put this new power to test as well, when she faced Alduin for a first time. She survived, also thanks to Parthuurnax, who assisted her in that battle.

Then Ulfric's call came. She had felt some stirring when the Courier brought his message, from excitement, no doubt. Since the Jarl had never really left her mind while she was on her journey, and she wanted to mean something to him and his men alike in this war, she was glad he had finally found a need for her. So she hastened back to Windhelm that same day, wondering what would await her there…

* * *

A./N.: three chapters in three days, I'm on a roll! But that's only because of my kind reviewers, so thank you very much! ;) Hopefully, I have not disappointed you so far; a next update will follow soon. Ideas for characters or the plot itself are always welcome, too, and do warn me if there's too much cliché in my story, or something else I need to work on. Until next time!


	4. Ulfric's mission

When she arrived in Windhelm, she was immediately briefed on Ulfric's mission. He held a short meeting with a few Stormcloak soldiers, Selene herself, and Galmar. He told them in short about the Jagged Crown, a status symbol recognized in all of Skyrim and worn throughout history only by the High King or Queen. It was believed to be lost ages ago, but he had managed to trace its location to Korvanjund. The party he had put together to retrieve this crown, all present in the room except for Ralof – him being present at the location already, should be able to overcome any dangers they might face on their quest, together. Ulfric ended the meeting by mentioning they had 3 days to finish any business they might still have at their hands, before they had to meet Ralof at the entrance of Korvanjund, then dismissed them all, except for Selene. He called her to a private audience in his quarters.

'I've noticed some tension between you and my second-in-command, Galmar, Selene. I don't blame this on you, or rather not you alone, but you understand I can't have this. You're both powerful forces within this army, inspiring others, whether it's through birth or longtime service and experience, and if you two fight, the other soldiers might be inclined to take sides and the whole legion could fall apart. That's why I'm sending you together on this mission, and I hope you'll both find a way to end your dispute.'

Selene took a step towards him after he finished: 'My Jarl, I apologize for my part in this. You have my word that I shall try and make amends with him. I just wish he'd be more forgiving, like you; I know I acted wrong before, but I've tried to make up for that, and yet he remains hostile towards me…' She casted a look downwards at this. 'Don't worry, that's just who he is. I'm sure that, once he too sees your conviction in battle, he will accept you. Galmar is a very sincere man, and perhaps he believes in this cause even more than myself. He fights for Skyrim with all he has, and will always defend it. Because you voiced some doubt, or perhaps showed some support for the Empire at the council, he's somewhat wary of you. But that will change soon enough, I promise. Now go, make me proud, out there!' Ulfric finished, smiling down on her.

They were close to each other now, closer than would be considered normal for the mere acquaintances they were, but neither seemed to notice. They both held some fondness for the other too, one could see in their eyes and smile, but again, they didn't seem to realize it themselves. Someone else did, though. Jorleif had entered Ulfric's chambers some time before Ulfric finished his last speech. Even if he was sure to have seen something, he dismissed it for now, planning on discussing it with Ulfric some other time. He then cleared his throat, which earned him the attention of both. 'My lord, Tova Shatter-Shield awaits you in the hall; I believe it to be an emergency, she seemed quite frantic. Should I dismiss her?' – 'No Jorleif, thank you. We were just done here, so I'll see her. Until we meet again, Selene; hopefully, you'll present me that crown at that occasion.' Ulfric winked at her, then walked away, following Jorleif back to the hall.

Selene blinked, but then regained her posture, dismissing the wink as a gesture of friendship, of good nature; something she could only welcome. She then made her way out of the Palace, picked up her horse at the stables and made way for Korvanjund. There was no harm in arriving there early, after all; especially not if she was going to impress Galmar, given that he would already be there. Even then, she could scout out the environment while waiting for the rest of the group to arrive. She did look back once, to the Palace of the Kings that was easily distinguished, rising above the city itself. Wondering…

* * *

A./N.: Another chapter done, though it's rather short; it felt good to stop here and do the rest of the quest the next chapter. Since I already (sort of) know which way I want to go from here, you can expect another one soon. After doing some more research, I realize Ulfric might be kind of OOC in the chapter before this, since his actual story contradicts my own; if that annoys you, I apologize. I might edit it later, or give it a place in the original story some other time. I again strayed from the actual story line in this chapter, though it's less obnoxious for true fans, hopefully... Again, advice or possible ideas - in general, reviews - are very welcome!


	5. The Crown & A night spend at Windhelm

Selene arrived at Korvanjund within a day's time. She spend the next few days wandering about and talking to her fellow Stormcloaks. Galmar didn't arrive until the late afternoon the final day though, much to her dismay. He had noticed the presence of a small Imperial group on his way there, which perhaps explained his delay, and no doubt this could turn into a fight. Thus the battle begun sooner than she had suspected. Not that those Imperials stood any chance against their combined forces, though, and she was impressed by Galmar and the way he swung his battleaxe around with an incredible ease. He saved her from a sneaking Imperial once, and later she had the chance to repay that favor; baby steps for the both of them in reaching some accord, but important anyway.

And so it went on and on; some time later, the Imperials were replaced by Draugr. Nothing she hadn't faced before though, and before they knew it, the Jagged Crown was in the hands of the Stormcloaks. They spend the night in Whiterun together before they traveled back, feasting in 'The Bannered Mare'. There's a saying, that friends are made while sharing drinks – especially when it concerns Nord Mead – and Selene found truth in that saying. She and Galmar shared some talk, and to their surprise, they weren't that different from each other. They both fought only for great causes, and were headstrong in their beliefs. Like Ulfric had said, Galmar was a very honorable man, and she admired that in him; before either realized it, earlier tension had been replaced by feelings of friendship. The Jarl himself wasn't excluded from their conversation: 'He's like a brother to me', Galmar said. 'Really. Even in the Great War, we fought together, up until his imprisonment.' He shook his head at this, casting a downward glance. 'If only I could have helped him back then…' – 'Don't be so hard on yourself, Galmar', Selene said, 'the Thalmor had won almost all of Tamriel by then. Even the Emperor with all his might couldn't stop them, so how could you have fended off such force on your own?' – 'I would've found a way', Galmar answered, his face hardening at the memory, hands forming fists, 'I don't know how, but I would've.'

* * *

In the morning, Selene trusted the Crown to Ralof, and asked him to excuse her absence before the Jarl. She had other urgent matters to attend to for now, in Whiterun: she had since long secured the situation with the peace council, because despite Ulfric's threats, both sides had come to an agreement. Dragonsreach was ready for a dragon now, the Jarl had informed her, when he had heard of her presence in the city. She decided she might as well call Odahviing, now she was there…

So she did, and though it wasn't too easy, soon enough the dragon was bound down. Sadly, it wasn't without the loss of a few guards… She did feel guilty about that, though it couldn't have been avoided. Odahviing had left her something to think about while she made her way back to Windhelm: to get to Alduin again, she needed a dragon's help in order to reach Skuldafn and with that, Sovngarde. Could she trust the World Eater's right-hand, free him without risking more lives?

* * *

Before she reached the city, though, she had an encounter with a few wolves and a troll, under the incessant rain. She arrived in the Palace of the Kings soaking wet and covered in mud. Since it was already late in the evening, the hall was almost empty, but Jorleif was still there. His face could've humored her, weren't she the cause of it. 'Talos, what in the world happened to you? Well, one thing is for sure, you can't face the Jarl looking like that. Wait here.' He then hurried out of the hall, to return again sometime later: 'Follow me.' He then guided her through several corridors, to the bathing room of the Palace. 'You can clean yourself up here. I'll sent a maid for you in about an hour with suiting clothes, who will also direct you to a room for the night. Make yourself comfortable, I'm sure the Jarl won't mind. You can find linen over there to dry yourself with when you're done. I'll see you in the morning', he finished with a small smile, before he left.

Selene was blushing slightly by now, she hadn't heard often of such an honor given to a mere soldier; Jorleif must have a high opinion of her to allow her this privilege. After he closed the door, she looked around properly: in the middle of the room, there was a large, wooden tub, filled with steaming hot water. There were light curtains hung around it, to give the bather some privacy. That was rather unique, since poorer people – thus, the largest part of society – tended to bath together in public bathhouses, without much care for nudity. It shouldn't come to a surprise that nobility held different opinions on the matter, though. The room itself was rather sober, with stone walls and floor, like the rest of the castle. The tub itself rested on a small platform. There was a cupboard placed in the center of the far wall with, as Jorleif had said, linen cloths folded neatly on it. The main source of light in the room were multiple candle holders in each corner, causing the room to be somewhat dimmed. There were two windows, each high in the left and right walls, probably to avoid voyeurs.

Well, might as well make use of it, Selene thought, slipping out of her heavy armor and the clothing underneath it, before she immersed herself in the tub.

* * *

Ulfric couldn't sleep that night. He was glad to have the Jagged Crown in his possession, sure, but worried, too. Worried because of the circumstances in which they had gained the Crown, taken from the head of King Borgas' undead body – Ulfric was a superstitious man, like many in those days, no matter how brave he was in battle. Worried because of the Dragonborn's absence and its reason.

Worried for the war, for the fate of the world.

The lack of certainty, the power of such doubts; even the greatest of men could suffer through it, from time to time. This was one of those weaker nights; haunting thoughts, indeed, were the reason of his insomnia. One could wonder why now, since things were looking up even more with the legendary Crown won for the Stormcloaks. Why now, when he had every reason to be optimistic? But, perhaps, those moments can invoke the greatest doubts to surface, allowing them to strike the hardest.

After a long time of restlessness, Ulfric decided to get up and look for something that might occupy his mind for a while. He wandered through the corridors, on his way to the room that held the war documents, but stopped in his tracks when he heard something. He followed the sound to the bathing room, and recognized it as soft singing. Now, when in his right mind, he wouldn't have done what he did next, but can one really blame him, with a mind in which sleep battles with worry and restlessness? He thus entered the room, not even considering that whoever was in there might not be presentable. The room was empty, except for someone behind the curtains, who was apparently just out of the tub, wrapping herself in linen. Because yes, he did recognize the outline of a woman's body, a long and slender one, and with this, some reason finally reclaimed his mind, so he realized his mistake and recognized that he should go. However, he remained standing at the entrance of the room, hypnotized by both the outline of that body, familiar and yet so mysterious, and the bewitching sounds of that person's voice. It had been years since he had last seen a woman like… this.

The singing continued, until the person behind the curtains turned around and let out a shriek: 'Ulfric!'. Obviously, in such situations, formalities are easily forgotten. However, Ulfric payed little attention to whatever was said. Instead, his trance broke, and he turned around, apologizing. When no answer came, he decided it best to leave the woman to her privacy, and closed the door behind him while he made way back to his rooms. His earlier plans were long forgotten; he could now only wonder who that person had been. Because no, he hadn't the slightest idea; no guard of him would dare occupy the palace's bathing room, not even at this late an hour. Despite all that happened and his earlier thoughts, sleep took him over soon.

* * *

Selene however, for her part, didn't have much time to think over these events, because soon after the man she had recognized as Ulfric had left, the maid Jorleif had promised came with new clothes, taking her to her room after she was dressed. Alone again, unconsciously gripping the pillow, she allowed her own doubts to take over her mind. What had been the meaning of Ulfric's intrusion? How was she supposed to behave from now on; had he even recognized her? With the morning approaching fast, she became even more nervous, restless herself.

It would be an interesting day, that much we can be sure of.

* * *

A./N.: as promised, a new chapter. I know the bathing scene is somewhat out of the blue, it was just an idea that popped up in my head, and I tried making it as realistic as possible, somewhat using our own (early medieval) history due to a lack of sources in the game itself. For those uncomfortable by it: you can see the rating is still 'T', and don't worry, I don't see that changing anywhere in the near future. I hope you liked it; I realize it might seem somewhat OOC and I can only hope the changing POV's are appealing enough, since it's my way of bringing variation to the story, as well as saying everything I want to say.

My teachers used to say that I'm bad at translating ideas and thoughts to actual words, no matter how rich the original idea or thought might have been. I can't say I don't agree with them, especially considering how slow this chapter came to be and the fact I'm still not completely satisfied with it... Well, I do hope you enjoy it, despite all of this! Reviews are, like usual, very welcome.


	6. The morning after

When Ulfric woke up in the morning, he, at first, didn't remember last night's events. But when he did, he put his clothing on all the faster; surely, whoever he saw before, would still be in Windhelm. He proceeded down the stairs to the great hall, to eat with the rest of them. Then, he retired to his throne, overlooking the hall, as per usual. He was making some basic conversation with Jorleif when some movement to his right caught his attention. Dragonborn; now he understood. She was wearing her usual armor and helmet, though; too bad. Now he was curious as to how she would behave; she did recognize him last night, after all. And she wouldn't be here if she didn't want to see him.

Selene entered the great hall, and the first person she saw… Ulfric. Right on cue, a series of images, playing before her eyes, memories but yet so lifelike, she could get lost in them. An instant blush made its way to her face, but did Ulfric even realize she was the one he had walked in on yesterday? Was it even such a big deal as she was making it? She didn't know men… not anymore. Little did she know, Ulfric was just as shy in this game as she was. She approached him, and kneeled: 'My Jarl, I-I'm late' (Come on Selene, get a hold of yourself. This guy isn't nearly as frightening as a dragon… right?) 'I had some unfinished business in Whiterun, so I hope I can be excused for not reporting in along with the others.' – 'Don't mention it, Dragonborn, I understand' (damn, should I say more?). The two stared at each other awkwardly, before Selene excused herself so she could go have breakfast. Both sneaked glances at each other, too; Jorleif, again, was the only one to notice. He, in turn, wondered what he was missing. The two were behaving like children.

* * *

A./N.: A (very) short update to go, hope you like it! I'm not sure how fast I want to go from here on; one thing's for sure, once they get together, 'for real', I'm done with this story. I don't write the 'happily ever afters' that well. Just wanted to post the morning after first. So, let me know what you all think! ;)


	7. A confession, or not quite

Over the course of the next couple of weeks, neither dared taking action, or even face their own feelings and doubts, for that matter. Some awkwardness got its way with them both and Selene found a distraction in a murder case Ulfric had told her about. It was the very reason Jorleif had called on him during their talk, that time after he had explained their mission.

Now, there still was no solution to it, and the guards couldn't do anything to prevent the new murders from happening. After some research and the opportunity to talk to the right people, though, she found evidence pointing at the court mage. That wasn't a very pleasant outcome of the affair, and neither was it a pleasant time at the castle.

This went on until a final moment, when it became too much for Selene. The war might be having its artificial break, but the dragons, Alduin was still out there. She might not be eager to leave Windhelm, but something had to be done.

So that night, she went to Ulfric. 'My Jarl.' Per usual, she kneeled. 'I wanted to inform you that at dawn, I'll be taking my leave. There's nothing I can mean to you here while the truce is up between the Stormcloaks and the Imperials. It might be time I'd face my own responsibility instead, and trace the World-Eater's whereabouts to Sovngarde. When, or rather if I return, I'll come back to take up my position in your army; you have my word on that.'

Ulfric was looking at her, calmly, but she thought she saw some vague panic in his eyes, too. He then looked around the halls, to find his eyes meeting only Jorleifs and the guards against the far wall. Jorleif, however, did something odd: he nodded at Ulfric. This somewhat startled the Jarl, until it dawned on him: 'Dragonborn, could I speak to you in private?' Selene was surprised; she didn't see that coming.

Ulfric guided her to a balcony outside, strangely. Perhaps not so strange when you considered the Jarl's thoughts on it: 'Might as well milk it'. It was a beautiful night, but then again, what night in Skryim wasn't? When they reached a place Ulfric was satisfied with, he directed his gaze to the horizon, looking over the city and leaning on the rail, Selene standing a few feet from him. He then spoke: 'Dragonborn, I… Let me ask you a question. Are you afraid of what awaits you, when you leave from here?' – 'Of course I am, my lord. But I don't have the freedom of choice in this. I need to beat Alduin, no matter what the cost.' – 'Spoken like a true warrior, not that I expected less of you.' He smiled at her with this. 'Still… What if you fail?' He returned his gaze to the city and the sky, and seemed to be choosing his next words with some difficulty. 'It would be… a great loss, to Windhelm, the Stormcloaks…' He looked at her before continuing: 'to me. Devastating, even.' Selene was taken aback, but the fluttering in her stomach didn't lie. She blushed. Could he mean more? The Jarl was a very appealing man, but he was that way to anyone. Anyone but the Imperials, of course. She looked at the sky, by the Nine Divines, what now? She sighed, and this made Ulfric pull back somewhat. Maybe he had been wrong. 'All I'm saying is, don't fail. Skyrim needs you, Dragonborn. We need you. Don't you forget that, and when you finally do face Alduin, give him hell.' He smiled at her again, then went back inside, leaving Selene alone to her thoughts.

* * *

A./N.: I kind off lost my inspiration, I think; so I guess this chapter and the one before it aren't nearly as good as they could have been. Might be because I'm rushing it, too. I'm leaving for 2 weeks on a holiday, and I don't think I'll be able to upload in the meantime; I did want to give my readers something before that time, so... Anyways, I think that I'll be finishing the story in the chapter after this, in the meantime, enjoy!


	8. Time & Alduin's Demise

As Ulfric took his leave, Selene couldn't help but stare after him. That was it; all she was going to get from him before leaving. The Jarl had always been rather to the point when he spoke to her, except for the few times he got worked up about something concerning the war, she knew that, yet she couldn't help but feel rather disappointed. Ever since that night Ulfric had walked in on her... He had always been something more to her, yes, but she had dismissed it as awe, being starstruck rather than something as simple as desire.

It's rather amusing how we always search for other explanations and reasons instead of just admitting to ourselves and those around us that it is, in fact, lust we've fallen into, and from time to time even something more – what makes us so wary in these matters, if it really is what we're all looking for?

So no, Selene had been no different, but after that night, she couldn't help but accept the simple truth in her feelings. With that came a shyness that had prevented the both of them from moving forward, and now time had caught up on them. What was left of it: only a series of 'what-ifs' in their minds, possible alternate situations they could've found themselves in at that instant. Because that was lost, now that the shadow over Skyrim had grown too big to ignore. Sovngarde awaits – in this case, for a very alive Dovahkiin.

Selene had acted as a coward once she entered the grounds of Skuldafn, but who could've faced so many dragons at once, together with Draugr and even a dragon priest? Despite her training, there was nothing to be done at that moment without losing her life doing it – and that even before she reached Alduin, not a very happy thought.

But she wasn't looking for excuses – yes, she had run, run like the devil himself was chasing her, and she wasn't even straying too far from the truth with the use of that saying. Her instincts took over from the moment the perilous, damned place came in sight.

It did gain her access to Sovngarde without any permanent damage though, something that's perhaps even more important. The landscape she came in was… white, because of the mist, and even her shouting barely helped. Walking down to the valley up to the Hall of Valor with Alduin's constant calling once again tested her bravery, but she made it, even defeating Tsun in the progress.

She rounded up the three warriors from the vision the Elder Scroll had given her, to her surprise, and together, they succeeded in bringing about Alduin's final – and hopefully permanent – demise. Tsun send her back to Skyrim, and without a World-Eater to worry about. She was welcomed by the dragons, Odahviing and Paarthurnax, yes welcomed – it was clear they meant her no harm, for the time being. Surprisingly enough, they were happy to see their great leader and resurrector defeated.

Selene saw to world with new eyes – no one else could claim overcoming a trial like hers, and all of Skyrim lived to see a new day because of it. She felt thankful, thinking back of the heroes in Sovngarde, grateful, that she had a whole life to live before joining them, and most of all, eager to end the civil war that had claimed too many lives already. Change was about, but in a good way, chaos would reach its peak before leaving the lands and people in peace at last, a peace they deserved, with the patience and time to built up a new empire under a High King that would treat them well and just. She smiled at this; Ulfric was waiting, to hear the good news no doubt, and to finally bring about a new age for Skyrim, a new dawn after the long and suffocating darkness. Yes, it was time, time to turn the tables or be lost in the mists of lost hope and legends forever.

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A/N: finally a new chapter! I'm very sorry for the delay, even after I got back from the holiday; I didn't know where to go with the story, but today I came up with a few ideas for the ending, which prompted me to write again. I'm not completely satisfied with this chapter though, but oh well... I hope you enjoy it, and I would love some feedback! Since I've noticed quite a few others adding which songs they listen to while writing, I'll do that, too: I tend to listen to the Ceremonials-album of Florence + The Machine, for every chapter of this story so far, with 'No Light, No Light' being my favorite. You should check them out, if you haven't heard of them yet!


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